Extension-table.



- E. L. MA STON. EXTENSIO TABLE. APPLICATION r11. D MAY 5, 190a PatentedSept. 28, 1909.

UNITE ST it ES PATENT @FFKCE EDGAR MARSTON, OF SOMERVILLE,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES J.

. BROWN, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 11969.

Application filed May 5, 1909. Serial No. 494,200.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Eooan L. MARsToN, ofSomerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Tables, ofwhich the following is a specification.

lhisinvention h..s for its object to provide simple and ettectivemechanism for drawing into binding ei'igagement with each other twoparts of an extension table, the parts to which the embodiment of myinvention here shown is particularly adapted being the sections of thepedestal of a so-called pedestal extension table, said pedestalsupporting the sections of a table top, and being separable with the topsections to extend the table. The locking mechanism comprising myinvention is intended to lock or bind the sections together in close.contact with each other. so'that when the sections are in their closedrelation, there will be no unsightly crevices between them.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out. in the claims.

OF the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecilication,Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of'apedestal extension table equipped with locking mechanism embodying myinvention, a portion of the table top being broken away. Fig. 2represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a viewsimilar to Fig. 2 showing the coupling members disconnected. Fig. atrepresents a detail perspective view of a portion of the specialmechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The same reference, characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings,12 and 13 represent the sec-tons ot' a divided extensiontable pedestal, on which are suitably mounted the permanent sections 14and 15 of the table top, said top sections being movable with thepedestal sections to extend the table, and also if desired, movableindependently thereof to permit a limited extension of the top withoutsepz *ation of the pedestal sections.

to representsa rigid coupling member attached to the 'iedestal section13, and preferably formed as a loop, the neck 17 of which serves as aglllflfil'fll an abutment for the movable coupling member hereinafterdescribed.

18 represents a vertical rock-shaft which is journaled in bearings 19and 20 aflixed to the pedestal section 12.

21 represents the movable coupling member which has an eccentric pivotalconnection with the rock-shaft, and is adapted to be moved by rotarymovements of the rockshaft into and out of engagement with the fixedmember 16, the construction and arrangement being such that a backwardrotation of the rock-shaft throws the movable n'unnber entirely out ofengagement with the fixed member, thus permitting the separation of thesections, while a forward rotation of the roclesliai t imparts to themovable member first a swinging movement into a sliding engagement withthe rigid member, and then a rectilinear movement into a bindingengagement therewith, the said binding engagement causing a closebinding engagement between the sections connected by the couplingmembers.

111 the embodiment of my invention here shown, the inner end portion ofthe coupling member 21 is connected by a pivot 22 with a flange 23attached to the lower end portion. of the rock-shaft 18, said pivotbeing eccentric to the axis of the rock-shaft. The outer end of thecoupling member 21 is 1 rovided with a hook 24. adapted to be moved intoa binding engagement with the neck 17 of the rigid coupling member.

25 represents a spring which is connected with the flange 23, and withthe movable coupling member 21, and operates, as hereinat'ter described,to swing the movable member from its retracted position. shown by dottedlines in Fig. 3, into a sliding engagement with the rigid member '16. asindioated by full lines insaid figure the spring as here shown havingits central portion coiled upon the pivot 22, and it end portionsengaged at 27 and 26 with the llanu'e 23 and the movable member ll,respectively. When the coupling members have a binding engagement witheach other to bind the sections 12 and 13 closely together. as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the pivot sl ands behind the rock-shaft 18 and at. oneside of the center of the latter, its location being such that therock-shaft cannot be rotated by an outward 28 which receives therock-shaft when the movable member 21 is in the position lastdescribed.The parts being in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a backwardrotation of the rock-sh: "t in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 2 will move the pivot 22 to the position shown in Fig. 3. Duringthe first part of this movement, the member 2-1 is given a rectilinearmovement by reason of the pivot 22 and the fin 'er 28.nioving around theshaft- 18, and in this manner the hook 24 is moved backwardly out ofbinding.

engagement with the neck of the rigid mem ber 16. A continuation of thebackward rotation of the rock shaft then brings the end of finger 28into engagement with said rock shaft (see Fig. 3) whereby the member 21is swung on its pivot into the position illustrated in dotted lines,Fig. 3, the outward movement of said member being limited by the stop29. The secti0ns12 and 13 are now free to be separated.

When 'the rock-shaft is rotated in a forward direction opposite thatindicated by.

the arrow in Fig. 2, the spring is immediately put under tension, andcooperates with the shaft in swinging the movable member to the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 3,

- so that the movable member has a sliding engagement with the rigidmember before.

the binding engagement takes place. The completion of the forwardrotation of. the rock-shaft moves the movable member 21 in asubstantially rectilinear direction to the position shown in Fig. 2,thus causing a binding engagement between the two members, andbetweenthe sections 12 and 13.

The hook 24 is preferably provided with a lip or ear 30 formed tointerlock with the neck 17 when the members are in binding engagementwith. each .other. The stop 29 by guiding the member 21 during the firstpart of the backward rotation of the rockshaft, insures thedisengagement of the lip 30 from the neck 17 before the swingingmovement of the movable member commences.

The movable member is preferably composed of two leaves or layers ofsheet metal connected by rivets 31 at the outer end portion of themember, the leaves being sep arated at the inner end portion tobifurcate the latter, and enable its divisions 32 to bestride the flange23, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

The rock-shaft 18 is provided at its upper end with an operating handle33, which is preferably a hand wheel, and is located in the spacebetween the pedestal and the under side of the table top, said handlebeing accessible when the top sections 14 and 15 are In anotherapplication for Letters Patent for improvement in extension tables,filed by me concurrently herewith, I have shown a locking mechanism forthe permanent top sections of the table, said mechanism including arigid coupling member attached to one of the top sections, a movablecoupling member mounted on the other top section, and means cooperatingwith said members for imparting to the movable member, first, a sw1ngingmovement into a sliding engagement with the rigid member, and then arectilinear movement into a binding engagement there with, the partsbeing constructed with special reference to the adaptation of thelocking mechanism to the top sections. Excepting as hereinafterspecified in the appended claims, I do not limit myself to a lockingmechanism of this character adapted only for use in an extension, tablepedestal, as the essential features which characterize my invention, asabove defined, may be applied either to the pedestal or to the sectionaltopo'f an extension table, or to both the pedestal and top.

I claim:

1. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section and a second coupling ,meniber pivotally supported by saidrock shaft in eccentric relation therewith, one end of said couplingmember being constructed to engage said shaft as the latter is rocked.

2. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section and a second coupling member pivotally supported by saidrock shaft ineccentric relation therewith, one end of said pivotedcoupling mem ber being provided with a finger constructed to engage saidshaftas the latter is rocked.

3. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section and a second coupling member pivotally supported by saidrock shaft in eccentric relation therewith, one end of said pivotedcoupling member being provided with a finger constructed to engage saidshaft when the latter is rocked in-one direction, a recess being formedin said coupling member to receive said shaft when the latter is rockedin the opposite direction.

4. An ,extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section and a second coupling member pivotally supported by saidrock shaft. in eccentric relation therewith, the pivoted end of saidpivoted coupling member being provided with a surface constructed toengage said shaft as the latter is rocked.

An extension table comprising sepa rable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section and a second coupling member pivotally supported by saidrock shaft in eccentric relation therewith, one end of said pivotedcoupling member being constructed to engage said shaft as the latter isrocked, and a stop for limiting the pivoted movement of said couplingmember.

(S. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember at tached to one of said sections, a rock shaftmounted in theother section and a second coupling member pivotally supported by saidrock shaft in eccentric relation therewith, one end of said pivotedcoupling member being constructed to engage said shaft as the latter isrotated, and a spring carried by said rock shaft and having one endsecured thereto, the other end of said spring engaging said lockingmember.

7. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section, and provided with a flange, and a second coupling memberpivoted upon said flange and having one end constructed to engage saidshaft as the latter is rocked. I

8. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember attached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section, and provided with a flange, and a second coupling memberpivoted upon said flange and having a finger constructed to engage saidrock shaft when the latter is rocked in one direction, a recess beingtermed adjacent said finger to receive said shaft when the latter isrotated in the opposite direction.

9. An extension table comprising separable sections, a rigid couplingmember at- .tached to one of said sections, a rock shaft mounted in theother section, and provided with a flange, and a second couphng memberpivoted upon said flange and having one end constructed to engage saidshaft as the latter is rocked, and a spring carried by said flange andhaving one end secured thereto, the other endot' said spring engagingsaid pivoted coupling member.

In t stimony whereol I have atiiXed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

EDGAR L. lVIAiRSTOX. Witnesses:

CHARLES J. BROWN, P.-VV. Pnzzn'rrr.

